CathedralUpdates
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October 10, 2024
Cement poured in parking lotWorkers have been busy this week pouring cement in areas throughout the parking lot.
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October 7, 2024
We will not be having daily Mass on Tuesday, October 8 and Wednesday, October 9, due to parking lot safety issues. Mass will resume at 7:45 a.m. on Thursday, October 10.
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September 18, 2024
Test areas show decorative paint schemeThe painters prepared a few test areas that show the decorative paint scheme in the center nave (top photo), front walls of the apse (middle photo), and west transept (bottom photo). These are test areas that show what the finished product will look like.
Center nave
Front walls of the apse
West transept -
September 15, 2024
Mass formally marks elevation to cathedral of St. BernardBishop Donald J. Hying presided Sunday, Sept. 15, at a Mass that marked in a formal way the installation of St. Bernard Parish as the Cathedral of St. Bernard of Clairvaux in the Diocese of Madison.
This is a way for us to give praise and thanks to God for the gift of having a cathedral again, Bishop Hying said in his homily.
Reflecting on the Gospel of the day, Bishop Hying commented that Jesus asked “Who do you say that I am?” in a time and place in which people were basically offered a “religious smorgasbord.”
We know that Jesus is the Son of God and that in Him humanity encounters salvation, said Bishop Hying. “He is our master and redeemer…He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Without Him, we are lost.”
When we come to know who Jesus is, that’s when we come to recognize our deepest identity, he said. “We can only come to know ourselves through Christ.”
As a place for Catholics to gather around the bishop for key diocesan events, the cathedral is the mother church of the diocese and for 20 years we haven’t had one, he said, noting that a cathedral is usually located in the heart of the city because God is at the center of our community.
“The faith is the glue that holds the culture together,” he said.
The cathedral is planted in the heart of the city to serve as a sign to the world of the presence of Christ, where the poor and the sick find solace and healing, he said.
It is through the death of Christ on the cross that we are saved, he said, noting that when we wrap ourselves up in our pain and suffering with Christ, that gives us enormous redemptive power.
“In His mercy, the Lord allows us to add our suffering to His,” said Bishop Hying. “That thing we wish would go away in our life is actually the means of our salvation.”
Bishop Hying noted that the construction of the cathedral will hopefully be completed by the end of 2025.
The reading of the official letter from the Holy See naming St. Bernard as the Cathedral of St. Bernard of Clairvaux was then met by applause.
Bishop Hying presides at a Sept. 15th Mass formally marking the installation of St. Bernard Parish as the Cathedral of St. Bernard of Clairvaux. -
September 9, 2024
We will not be having daily Mass on Tuesday, September 10 and Wednesday, September 11 due to parking lot safety issues. Mass will resume at 7:45 a.m. on Thursday, September 12.
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August 7, 2024
progress inside and outWork continues on the entrance to the parking lot doors as shown below by an excavator digging a large hole. Meanwhile, new roof tiles are being placed on the west side of the church, and much work has been completed on the HVAC system in the basement of the church. Scaffolding is almost completed, now filling up the inside of the church in preparation for the upcoming plaster work and liturgical painting. A video will soon be released highlighting the progress thus far.
An excavator digs a hole for the covered entrance.
Copper tubing now connects to the air
handlers in the basement of the church.
Scaffolding now fills the space inside the church,
in preparation for the plasterers and painters.
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August 1, 2024
Continued progressThe parking lot is continuing to come along. Please remember to enter the parking lot from Atwood Avenue and exit the parking lot on Corry Street. Erosion control measures are now in place, and it’s important that we all follow the one-way pattern.
In the photo below, the approach to the parking lot doors has been removed as we wait for the installation of the covered entrance.
Also pictured below are the new elevations for the new sanctuary and the steel support structure for the altar rail.
The approach to the parking lot doors has been removed.
Pictured are the new elevations for the sanctuary
and the steel support structure for the altar rail. -
July 23, 2024
Parking Lot Flow UpdateReconfiguration of the parking lot is beginning Monday, July 22nd. Moving forward, there will be a ONE-WAY flow through the parking lot:
Enter on ATWOOD AVE.
Exit on CORRY ST.
Turning left onto Atwood Ave. (eastbound) from Corry St. can be a challenge, depending on the time of day. If you feel more comfortable going eastbound on Atwood Ave. from a controlled (traffic light) intersection, we recommend using the following route:
Left turn out of driveway to CORRY ST.
Left turn onto ST. PAUL AVE.
Slight right turn onto BASHFORD AVE.
Left turn onto DUNNING ST.
Left turn onto ATWOOD AVE.
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July 17, 2024
Progress on parking lot and roof;
Scaffolding goes upThe forms were installed for the new wall at the north end of the building. We’ll also be preparing to install the beams that will comprise the covered parking area and pour the new concrete pad that will house the chiller for the church’s HVAC system.
Beginning this week, we will most likely begin work on the parking lot. You will still be able to use the lot to park for weekday and weekend Masses. Be aware, however, that for a few weeks, the parking lot will have a gravel base while we finish the needed installation of the items above.
Once everything is in place, pavers will come in and lay a base layer of asphalt. The remaining layers will be laid in the weeks following, with hopeful completion by mid-September.
Work continues to progress on the church and rectory roofs; the old roof tiles and underlayment on the west side of the church have been removed, and our contractors are beginning to install the new tiles. Gutters and downspouts will follow.
Meanwhile, things are beginning to pick up on the inside of the church. Scaffolding is going up to prepare for the plaster and decorative painting work! We’ll also be installing the steel support for the sanctuary rail system, and when completed, we can pour the sanctuary elevations. -
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July 9, 2024
Beginning work on the north wallWork began today on the north wall of the parish center. Last fall, the north end of the parish center was razed in order to accommodate additional parking. Our contractor for concrete began laying the forms.
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July 8, 2024
St. Bernard Prepares for new parking lotCurrently, St. Bernard Church is undergoing construction in order to accommodate its upcoming elevated status as the Cathedral of St. Bernard of Clairvaux. The cathedral will serve as the central location for events such as priesthood ordination and the annual Chrism Mass for the Diocese of Madison.
As the State of Wisconsin requires the requisite amount of parking space commensurate with the number of seating spaces in the cathedral, a new parking lot is needed.
Recently, several residents on Corry Street asked about the removal of a number of trees from the park area across from the church due to the need for the new parking lot. Residents were mainly concerned about how the tree removal would affect their homes, and the overall aesthetic of the once-former park area.
CARING FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT
As the construction phase moves forward, we are excited to share our Tree and Landscape Beautification Plan for the Cathedral of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, which not only includes the addition of 30 deciduous trees and 17 ornamental trees, but also many shrubs, ornamental grasses, and perennials.
Green space and many trees will beautify the area throughout the lot, including a strip along Corry Street. Even some of our parking spaces will be “green,” as electric vehicle charging stations are also a part of the plan, plus a bioinfiltration area, which uses vegetation and planting soil to manage stormwater runoff.
The parish center will also have additional green space, and the city is currently working on the final development of that space. Additionally, lumber taken from the removed trees will be used for projects such as carvings, cabinetry, and other woodworking needs inside the cathedral.
WORKING AND GROWING TOGETHER
Complying with the City of Madison’s requirements ultimately dictates the plan for the new parking lot. These requirements include elements such as parking lot layout, lighting, the proper dissipation of stormwater, the availability of electric vehicle charging stations, and the types of plantings to be used.
We want to assure you that, per the city’s requirements, the new parking lot will indeed have appropriate finishes and colors.
Thank you for your patience as we strive to meet the needs of the future cathedral, as well as the requirements of the state and the city, during this very exciting time of growth for our neighborhood and for the Diocese of Madison.
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